Taking a Hint
by Buckets Full O' Sunshine
Summary: Videl Satan has always been the top-ranked student at OSH. That all changed with the arrival of Son Gohan, her greatest rival. Suddenly, Videl finds herself outmatched in everything she does. From sports to academics, she just can't keep up with this prodigy. However, she's determined to finally defeat Gohan in anything and won't stop until she rises victorious.
1. Shifting Winds

**Disclaimer: DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama.**

 **Summary: Videl Satan has always been the top-ranked student at OSH. All seemed well until the arrival of Son Gohan, her greatest rival. Suddenly, Videl finds herself outmatched in everything she does. From sports to academics, she just can't keep up with this prodigy. However, she's determined to finally defeat Gohan in anything and won't stop until she rises victorious.**

…

 _ **Taking a Hint**_

…

 **Chapter 1: Shifting Winds**

Autumn burned brightly that morning, a wildfire blazing through the streets. Fall was in full bloom, the atmosphere tasting of delicate change. Crisp air nipped her skin as Videl Satan dashed with the wind, a flurry of leaves scattering behind her wake.

Today was the day. She would finally be entering her last year at Orange Star High. While high school was nothing exciting by any means, a sense of anticipation seized Videl as she spotted the familiar building just up ahead. It stood tall and proud, clearly the most prominent structure in the area.

There was only one problem: Not only had the school year already started, she was late—a month late.

Sights of the familiar hallways encompassed her vision as Videl entered the school. She inhaled sharply, taking in the rowdy halls as students milled around. Hardly anything had changed since she had last been here. Same old polished windows, same stains on the ivory walls. Videl could even see the dent on one locker where she accidentally slammed a basketball too hard.

A voice rang from the distance.

"It's Videl! She's back!"

The reaction was almost instantaneous. Heads swiveled in her direction and activity ignited. After a month of absence from school, the star of OSH, Videl Satan, was back and ready for action. Videl ignored the excited whispers that accompanied her, shoving her way through until finally, she reached her classroom. The moment she entered, she was pulled into a crushing hug.

"Welcome back, Vi!" Erasa cried, nearly knocking Videl over. Her grip only tightened.

Videl laughed, peering at a face she hadn't seen in a while. "Good to see you, too, 'Rase."

The two stepped back, Erasa impatiently pushing Videl into her seat. "Now tell me, how was your training? The Martial Arts Tournament has been the rave of the city!" Erasa propped her chin on her wrists, her blue eyes brimming with curiosity.

In front of them, a head of long blond hair swiveled, revealing the face of Sharpner. A languid grin spread on his lips as he rested his arm over his chair. "Yeah, babe. With you skipping classes for a month, we all want to know how you plan to win."

Videl rolled her eyes before punching Sharpner on the arm—hard. He cringed. "Shut it, Sharpner," she said, flexing her gloved fingers. They were newly embedded with steel at the knuckles. Friends as they were, there was no way he would ever get a pass at her. "You know I had a good reason to skip. I have to get stronger if I want to win the tournament."

"We know, we know," Erasa chimed in, filing her already manicured nails. "But it was so drab with you gone training. I mean, you left me with this guy!" She pointed an accusing finger at Sharpner.

"Hey! What's wrong with being around this?" Sharpner exclaimed, gesturing at his body from head to toe. He flexed, shamelessly showcasing his rippling muscles and tanned skin. Erasa's brow raised in appreciation.

"Mn, nothing," Erasa said, blowing her nails. "It's just nicer to have a girl around rather than a muscle-head like you."

Videl chuckled as she watched her two friends bicker back and forth. It was nice to be around familiar company again. Settling, she dug out everything she needed for class—with her month-long absence, there was a lot she had to catch up on, but Videl was confident she could climb back up in no time. She had studied the material between breaks, after all, and her pride would never allow her to fail in anything. In terms of ranking, Videl had always been in the top five percent of her class, and that wasn't something she intended to change.

Plus, the biggest event of the year was just around the corner: The World Martial Arts Tournament. Ever since her father had won the Cell Games, martial arts had become the most famous thing in the world. It was celebrated almost religiously. It was only natural that Videl would participate, and for that, she would do anything to get stronger.

Weeks of grueling training and a strict workout regimen had helped. Videl tightened the police communicuff around her wrist. Although her build was slight, her muscles were toned and in top shape; she certainly felt stronger. Her morning jog to school had hardly winded her.

It had always been her dream to become the next champion. Surely, she was far from beating her father, but it would further prove her worth as a martial artist. She wanted to build a name for herself, be someone more than just Hercule Satan's daughter. It was one of the reasons why she joined the police force other than stopping crime in the city and protecting its citizens.

And, Videl always did love a challenge.

"I'll be signing up for the tournament, too," Sharpner said, breaking Videl from her reverie. He crossed his arms, proudly puffing out his chest. "I guess I can't hold back if I'm meeting you in the ring." His teeth were bared, a challenging smile.

Videl returned his grin with an equally confident one of her own. "There's no way in hell I'd go easy on you, blondie."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

They both shared competitive smirks, sparks of electricity almost crackling between them. Stupid as he was sometimes, Sharpner was strong; after all, he was a pupil of the Satan City Dojo. His muscles weren't just for show no matter how much he flaunted them. But between the two of them, Videl knew she outmatched him in both strength, skill, and speed. Though with her police training over the years, she had learned to never underestimate any opponent. Knowing her friend, he was skilled enough to actually make her sweat a little.

It was nothing she couldn't handle.

"Enough with the 'I'll break your bones' talk," Erasa interrupted. "Videl and I need some quality time together. We should take a trip right to the mall after school! There's a huge sale going on, you know."

Her eyes were twinkling with hope.

"No, thanks," Videl said bluntly, avoiding eye contact. Yes, she loved Erasa to death, but shopping never ended well. She shuddered. The last time they went on a shopping spree, Videl came out with blistered feet. Not exactly what she would call a fun experience. Erasa wasn't even winded.

"But Videl!" Erasa exclaimed, slamming her hands against the table. "Forty percent off of shoes. That is a steal!"

"Really, I don't need anything new." Videl scooted away from her friend, sweat building above her brow. Her hands met the edge of her seat, and the blonde was only inching closer. If it was one opponent she couldn't defeat, it was Erasa.

The only thing that saved her in that moment was a sudden commotion by the door. Snapping her head to the side, Videl frowned. The bell hadn't even rung yet but even more students piled into the classroom, a majority of them girls. Hell, Videl wasn't even sure they were in the same grade. The noise level rose and Videl squinted.

"What's going on over there?" she inquired, successfully diverting Erasa's attention. The blonde glanced towards the front of the classroom, her eyes lighting up in delight.

"Oh, that's the new kid," she chirped, clasping her hands together. "He's a real cutie! He came here at around the time you left, Vi, so I doubt you met him before."

Now that caught Videl's interest. Naturally, she was curious about everyone she met, and this new guy was no exception, especially with this ruckus he was creating. She craned her neck to see past the students with no luck. It seemed that this mystery person was drowned in a sea of heads.

"What's he like?" Videl asked, her curiosity piqued.

"He's the enemy of all men," Sharpner cut in, sniffing indifferently. His lips curled in distaste. "The girls love him. I don't see why though; he's just some pansy."

"Oh please, Sharpner. I know for a fact that he's the reason why you're passing math. I'd say you're getting along well," teased Erasa, laughing lightly. She poked him on the cheek.

"Shut up!" Sharpner sputtered. A light tint stained his cheeks as he crossed his arms stubbornly. "Nerd-Boy just had to help. I never asked for it."

"Just be honest and admit you did. I do remember he had you pegged in gym…"

Videl raised a brow at the two arguing blondes, one clearly enjoying the expense of the other's embarrassment. She snapped her gaze towards the center of the classroom as the bell blared overhead. Her eyes narrowed in the center of the crowd; students were now clearing in and out and she was determined to find out who the new kid was. All she caught was a glimpse of unruly black hair amidst the crowd of adoring girls.

So. It seemed like he was some player. Interest rapidly fading, Videl flicked her eyes away, flipping through the pages of her notebook. If he attracted that much attention, surely he was some shameless flirt. If he was the kind of person she thought he was, she preferred not to waste time among people without an ounce of modesty.

"By the way, I never told you his name," Erasa said, tapping Videl's arm. "It's—"

By now Videl had completely tuned out Erasa's voice, mainly because the noise in the classroom hadn't nullified at all. Chin resting over one hand, she languidly dragged her gaze back up front. The students were dissipating, almost retreating as an entity as one boy broke away and ascended the stairs.

Videl's eyes widened and her back straightened. All motion of the world ceased around her, her attention focused raptly on the boy approaching. The first thing that peeked into view was cropped, jet-black hair, shorter than she remembered. Then, the familiar angle of his face and the straightness of his nose, it was all there.

As he slowly continued up the steps in her direction, his head turned, giving her a full view of his face. The same onyx eyes, crinkled with mirth from the broad smile spread across his lips.

She knew him. She _knew_ that face. Realization slowly sunk into Videl, her heart dropping the moment she saw his smile. Within agonizing seconds, their eyes locked for a fleeting moment, and neither looked away. The smile faded from the boy's lips, his eyes reflecting curiosity.

He was now in front of her.

 _Kami, it can't be_ , Videl thought, dread filling every fiber of her being. Her fists tightened into balls and her cheeks flushed. Anger. Mortification. _It's—_

"Hi, I don't think we've met before," the boy said, grinning amiably. It was that same infuriating smile. All Videl saw were sirens blaring as his arm extended out before her.

"I'm Son Gohan. It's nice to meet you."

…

 **A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please stay tuned for the next update :) Also, please give me as much constructive criticism as possible! I want to become the best writer I can be and any feedback would be appreciated.**

 **I think this will be a pretty light fic, too. It'll be roughly ten chapters.**

 **Thanks for reading! Until next time!**

 **R &R?**


	2. Past Mishaps

**Disclaimer: DBZ does not belong to me.**

 **…**

 **Chapter 2: Past Mishaps**

They first met when Videl punched Gohan in the face.

It wasn't on purpose, of course. He just so happened to be in the line of fire when Videl was in the middle of punching _another_ boy in the nose, only to miss and hit Gohan instead.

To be honest, it looked like it hurt Videl more than it hurt Gohan.

"Urgh, I'm so mad!" Videl fumed, grinding her teeth together. At the time, they were both eleven and it wasn't odd for Videl to go through her fits. A bag of ice rested against her right hand which was swollen red from where she had punched. "The next time I see that brat, I'm gonna make him pay!"

After she had another good punch in, the coward had fled, leaving Videl with a dumbfounded Gohan. It was a month after the Cell Games ended and she preferred the peace at the park over the stifling paparazzi at home. It was just her luck to run into someone unpleasant.

Gohan sat quietly beside the sulking girl. Unlike his companion, he was free from any harm and his face hardly looked fazed. Where should have been a potential broken nose was instead smooth, straight, and most importantly, intact.

"What did he do to make you so angry?" Gohan inquired, gnawing on his popsicle. The shade beneath the tree they sat under provided little to no relief from the scorching summer heat. Even the ice cream Gohan had taken the liberty to buy for them was oozing down his fingers.

The young girl raked her non-injured hand through her dark hair. It reached only below her ears and she liked it that way; it was easier to manage and didn't get in the way of when she did things.

"He insulted me," Videl vented, swallowing the last of her popsicle. It was a rather odd situation, the innocent bystander patiently listening to the same person who attacked him in the first place. She huffed, blowing her bangs out of her face. "He said that I was too weak to do martial arts. And, my dad won't teach me yet 'cause he thinks I'm too little."

Videl had grown up witnessing people become skilled martial artists. She had snuck out every day just to see dojo students practicing and imitated all the drills they did. The daily disappearances gave her mother a fit, but she was eager to become just as good of a fighter, if not better.

"You see, my dad is one of the best martial artists out there. He won the last tournament this year and he's my biggest hero." She puffed out her chest proudly. "I wanna be just like him: A great martial artist and protector of the world!"

Distracted by her passion, Videl momentarily forgot her anger and quivered with excitement. Her grin faded though as soon as she remembered exactly what she was saying. She had gone off on this tangent many times before, and each time, everyone laughed at her.

 _You're a girl,_ they would say, their gazes belittling. _But it's so cute for kids to have dreams_.

Only, to Videl, it wasn't simply a dream. It was her life's goal, and no one ever took her seriously. She meant every word she said and she'd prove to them how exactly wrong they were.

She glanced at the boy beside her, almost begrudgingly. They didn't even know each other. Surely, he would be just like the others and laugh at her.

She did not expect him to smile.

"That's really amazing!" Gohan said, throwing his hands up in excitement. He leaned back, resting against the trunk of the tree. Videl watched as his gaze turned towards the sky, his eyes softening, but it seemed like he was looking past that, at something beyond.

"I think it's admirable," he continued. "It's been a while since I've met someone so devoted like you."

"You really don't think it's silly?" Videl inquired warily. Her earlier anger dissipated, and she allowed the tension to slowly drain from her muscles.

"How so?" Gohan said, casting Videl a sidelong glance. "It's great to want to protect others. It shows that you have a big heart."

Huh. She never thought of it like that before. The two children sat in silence, watching placidly as white clouds rolled across the horizon. Finally, Gohan broke the silence.

"It's my dream too, you know," he said. He sounded nostalgic. "My dad was my hero. He told me it's my job to protect the world and everyone precious to me. I want to be just like him."

Videl glanced at Gohan, her brow slightly raised. It was rather peculiar that this kid and his dad proclaimed themselves as the world's protectors, considering it was _her_ dad who saved them all, but… she could understand where they were coming from. After all, it also rang true for her.

She settled back against the tree trunk, the wood hard but stable. "What was he like?"

"He died recently," Gohan said bluntly. Videl immediately felt bad for asking. Noticing the change in mood, he grinned slightly, speaking quickly to assuage Videl and the conversation. "Don't worry about it." Strangely, he didn't look grieved, although a wistful sadness tainted his eyes. "He was an amazing man and his strength and kindness compared to none. I miss him, but I guess that's why I came here today, to just be alone for a while."

An urge to comfort the boy hummed through Videl, and reaching out, she patted his hand. They had yet to truly know each other, but she felt that she wanted to help him in any way she could. It was her first time doing something like this. She was almost embarrassed to speak, and she diverted her eyes once Gohan's inquisitive ones fell on her.

"I'll be here to listen," she managed to grit out, her fingers fretting with her hair. She shot him a fearsome look, her cheeks slightly pink. "Only if you want though, you hear? No one knows about this!"

She was, after all, a Satan, and she had a reputation to uphold!

Gohan laughed and earlier traces of sadness were gone. He looked content. "Thanks. You're kinda funny."

"Shut it!" Videl retorted hotly. The young girl crossed her arms. "Don't make me regret not punching you twice!"

"I'll just get out of the way," Gohan said.

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

Both children glared at each other before breaking into giggles. Gohan slid back, letting himself rest on the grass.

"Hey, hey. Let's make a promise. No matter what people say and what we face, we'll always do our best to protect everyone, okay?" Slowly, Gohan stuck out his pinky finger with a resolute grin on his face.

Videl stared at his outstretched pinky, a sense of excitement thrumming in her chest. She didn't hesitate to take it. Conviction settling over her face, her pinky curled around Gohan's to confirm their promise. They sat like that, suspended in the moment, their grips firm with resolution.  
Both children stared at the other, grinning before speaking simultaneously.

"Promise."

They finally unhooked their pinkies, and Videl fell back, chuckling to herself. "You're pretty interesting," she said, turning to face him. The sun drooped in the horizon, casting a hazy golden glow to all that its light touched.

"I could say the same for you," Gohan replied. They exchanged smiles, and for once, Videl felt it was nice to make a new friend. Rarely did she ever feel comfortable in someone else's presence, especially around someone she just met.

"By the way, my name's Videl," she blurted. Their introductions were late, but it was better than never. "Videl Satan."

"Son Gohan," Gohan replied, eyes mirthful. "Nice to meet you, Videl."

"You too, Gohan." Her gaze fell on him as she abashedly pulled her knees up to her chest. Her short hair fell just over her eyes. "I didn't say this earlier, but I'm sorry for punching you in the face," she said sincerely. She really did feel bad.

"Oh, it's okay!" Gohan said, his hand moving to scratch his neck. "It didn't hurt at all! My mum always said I had a hard head."

"Yeah, no kidding," Videl muttered, rubbing her sore knuckles. Yes, his face was completely scotch free of harm. Her punch wasn't _that_ weak, was it? Gohan merely smiled, his trademark goofy grin lighting his face. It was kind of pissing her off.

Regardless, Videl felt the corners of her lips quirk, too. She supposed this Son Gohan was starting to grow on her.

"Today was fun," Gohan continued, turning fondly at Videl. If smiles were contagious, his certainly were. Gohan's obsidian eyes softened warmly as he looked at her. "Actually, this is my first time being friends with a boy my age."

… _A what?_

The smile froze on Videl's face and the warm feeling of contentedness dissipated faster than hell could freeze over. Did he just say what she thought he just said? Did he just mistaken her for a _boy?_

By now, Gohan's chatter had been completely tuned out as Videl's eyes narrowed in murderous rage. The world seemed to rumble and all she saw was red as her fingers curled into fists. Blood roared in her ears, her vision honing in on the oblivious child before her. Rage bubbled in the pit of her stomach and Videl was fuming— _seething_ —as her face grew hotter and hotter.

How dare he call her a boy! Exactly what part of her resembled one? Did he not see that she was obviously female?

Gohan's voice was now hardly discernable and through Videl's jumbled vision, she could barely process his concerned eyes looking up at her. His lips were moving, worry etched between his brows. _What's wrong?_ he seemed to say.

Finally, she exploded.

"You moron!" Videl yelled, her lips twisting into an ugly scowl and very much resembling a dragon. She hurled her arm back, her hand hardening into a fist. "I'm a girl!"

On that day, Videl had walked away with not just one injured hand, but with two. The raging girl left behind one dumbfounded and confused boy, never to see him again. The grudge in her heart did not completely fade.

From that moment on, Videl made sure to grow her hair out so that never again would anyone ever question her femininity.

 **...**

 **A/N: Well, there's that! Please tell me what you think? And thank you for all the follows, favorites, and reviews! It really means a lot :)**

 **Since I can't PM guest reviewers, I'll do it here. Thanks** _ **smithback**_ **,** _ **anonymous, Guest, Guest,**_ **and everyone else for reviewing!**

 **People have also asked whether Videl and Gohan will compete in the tournament… The answer is no. I won't be going over the Buu Saga. This will be a relatively light high school story. It'll only be roughly TEN chapters long.**

 **Again, constructive criticism is fully welcomed. Hit me with fire, people!**

 **Until next time!**


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